Patriots vs Dolphins Odds 2011 Monday Night Football Lines: The New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins kick off the first of two season opening Monday night games when they collide at Sun Life Stadium this evening. The week one contest between the two division rivals is scheduled to get underway at 7:00pm ET on ESPN. The latest 2011 Monday Night Football Lines have the Patriots listed as a heavy -7 against the spread road favorite. Patriots vs Dolphins odds at our NFL Odds page have tonight's game total set at 46 points.
The Patriots have treated their southern 
neighbor unkindly for a number of years now, winning 12 of their last 17 games against the Dolphins; however, the season sweep of the Fins has been more difficult to come by for Tom Brady and company. New England did pull of that feat last year and in 2007 as well, but Miami has shocked the Pats on more than one occasion since Bill Belichick took over as head coach.
Will that happen tonight? Probably not. The gap between the two squads was immense last season with New England beating Miami 41-14 at Sun Life Stadium and 38-7 at Gillette Stadium. Brady completed 19-of-24 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown in the game at Miami while Chad Henne accounted for three of the Dolphins four turnovers.
When the two teams hooked up in Foxboro for last year's season finale, Brady threw for 199 yards and two scores in limited action, but the Patriots still racked up 502 total yards in the lopsided contest. Henne led Miami's mail-it-in effort with a 6-for-16, 71 yard, one interception performance.
Miami's effort this evening figure to be much better with the start of a new season, but, despite what took place in 2010, New England will not take the Dolphins lightly. The key will be protecting Brady. If the Dolphins can pressure the perennial Pro Bowler, they have a chance to win this game.
Last year they sacked him three times in the game at Miami, but the four turnovers and two blocked kicks negated any sort of positive those plays may have provided. The second game the Dolphins hardly sniffed the quarterback while the Patriots sacked and hit a combination of Henne and Tyler Thigpen five and eight times respectively.
This game figures to be closer than last year's blowout at Sun Life simply because the Dolphins will find difficult to duplicate that once in a lifetime yourself in the foot performance. New England still gets the win, though, and by 10 or more points.
Patriots vs Dolphins Odds 2011 Monday Night Football Lines: Provided by BetOnline.com
New England Patriots -7 (-110), Over 46 Points (-110), -350 (Moneyline)
Miami Dolphins +7 (-110), Under 46 Points (-110), +290 (Moneyline)
